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Cyclonus' Targetmaster Upgrade
Darkmount - Workshop - Cybertron White cement tile floors complete with floor drains mark this room as a maintenance space even before you see all the machine tools. Toolchests and workbenches are mounted on the walls, with the center of the room left open for access to the lifts and hoists. Air hoses for pneumatic tools hang in reels from the ceiling, easily accessable from any part of the room, and at several points along the rear wall there are connections for fuel, coolant and welding gas hoses. Contents: Scourge Cyclonus Scorponok Backbone Obvious exits: Out leads to Darkmount - Atrium. Fracas arrives. TWO HOURS AGO Cyclonus stands at the mouth of an ice cave on Nepsa, blaster in hand as he surveys the troops in front of him (maybe YOU were there!). "Decepticons!" he announces. "Intelligence has discovered increased Autobot activity on Nepsa, unrelated to the Olympics. It is possible our foes are plotting to break the truce, or have some sort of superweapon in their hands. We will use the tunnel systems of Nepsa to infiltrate the Autobot rooms at the Ski Lodge, and discover their secrets! This is an important yet simple mission. Nothing can go wrong!" He points forwards in to the caves. "Onwards!" NOW An unconscious Cyclonus is hauled into the Darkmount workshop, sparking like mad and missing an arm and one of his helmet horns. THEN Scorponok was not there on Nepsa, and either was Lord Zarak, because they're not one of "the troops" and besides, such a task is beneath them. However, Americon is there, since this is a completely different place and Scorponok's not there so there's no risk of alt interaction! "YEAH! Let's go beat up some Autobots... uh... if they provoke us first! Yeah! In America! NOW Scorponok stomps into the workshop soon after Cyclonus arrives, grinning evilly. Just like Scourge before now, Scorponok had ordered that Cyclonus not receive repairs from the medical technicians until he could be on hand. And now, here he is, and there Cyclonus is. "Oh, dear! What happened to you, Cyclonus! Why... I don't recall you saying anything stupid to ME! How could this have happened?" he says with mock concern, tapping a claw at Cyc's head. "Heheheh. Foolish Unicronian. Probably unconscious. Pity." THEN Scourge is behind Cyclonus, with an array of various Sweeps moving around him, he clearly has Fracas in hand. Scourge motions the Sweeps to spread out through the cave system. Given their enhanced senses they should make navigating the caves easier. While he watches the collected Decepticons entering the caves, Scourge remarks to Cyclonus, "The sooner that truce is finished with the better, fighting Autobots is so much better when they die for real." He then begins to move towards the caves himself. NOW Fracas enters not far behind Cyclonus, carrying the Unicronians arm, and a horn attached to his back, "Hey, I got his missing bits!" So far there's no sign of Scourge, but he's not likely to leave Fracas out of his sight for long so soon after combat. THE NOT-SO DISTANT PAST Blitzwing curls his head to survey Cyclonus from over one his kibble-ridden shoulders, grumbling. "I hate it when he says that." The triplechanger turns back to peer down the limitless blue-white catacombs, sighing heavily as in the present condition his cy-gar refuses to remain lit. Taking the thing from his lips and tossing it to the snow beneath his feet, Blitzwing stamps out the bad habit while simultaneously withdrawing his electron-sabre before stamping down into the tunnels that stretch out before him. PRESENT DAY Blitzwing staggers into Darkmount's workshop, littered with carbon-scored pockmarks and leaking energon from just about every panel line along his burly frame. Blitzwing pushes the hoverslab that Cyclonus has been laid out upon, the Decepticon Leader having suffered heavily during their most recent excursion. Blitzwing seems to be in good spirits, though - probably because at least in Darkmount's temperature and atmosphere-controlled environs, he's able to finally enjoy that cy-gar. The triplechanger takes the cyber-cancer-stick from his mouth and nonchalantly knocks ash away, some of which unceremoniously lands onto Cyclonus' face. "Special delivery," Blitzwing smirks. THEN Cyclonus pulls a face at Blitzwing as he sees the cy-gar. "Blitzwing, the 'cy-gar' is strictly forbidden in combat zones due to the danger of self-immolation. I will overlook this dereliction of duty once, but I shall store it in my short-term memory data banks." He turns to Scourge. "Indeed, Scourge. I have petitioned the Olympic Committee for a more 'realistic' olympics, but to no avail." He stops as they come to a fork in the tunnels. From the left-hand tunnel comes a blood-curdling roar. Thankfully Cyclonus has no blood in him. "Hrm, another Autobot trick. Americon, scout it out!" He waves a hand in Americon's direction. "Forwards!" NOW The Deluxe Insecticon BUGBEAR (who is a waterbear) scuttles in alongside the fallen Cyclonus, pushing several large boxes marked with medical supplies. "K-k-k Cyclonus requires repair, Lord Scorponok! We k-k-got here as soon as possible." This is, of course, a complete lie. THEN "Yes sir!" Americon proclaims, saluting Cyclonus. He marches off into the cave, full of good old fashioned American confidence. He doesn't re-emerge. NOW Scorponok laughs at Blitzwing's blatant show of disrespect, even though Zarak has to ruin it by mentally reminding him that Blitzwing would likely show them the same degree of respect in the same situation. Noticing Fracas, Zarak mentally warns Scorponok that they won't have much time, and so Scorponok yells, "Hm, yes, Fracas, have the parts ready. Well! Seeing as how you are damaged, Cyclonus, it is my obligation to repair you to full capacity! Just like I did to Scourge. FASTTRACK! Bring Cyclonus to my repair bay! Oh, and don't worry, Cyclonus, I'll be cribbing from Shockwave's notes the whole time! Hahaha!" He transforms into base mode, repair bay folding out. Fasttrack hops onto Cyclonus's table, pulling on his shoulder with a binary grunt until the Unicronian finally slides off onto the floor. "Beeeep?..." he beeps. "ONTO MY REPAIR BAY I SAID!" Scorponok bellows. "Bugbear, excellent. Fasttrack is inadequate. Help Cyclonus onto my repair bay so that I may fix him." Scorponok sprawls out into his enormous battlestation mode! THEN Motioning a couple of Sweeps to flank Americon, Scourge remains near Cyclonus, "Perhaps next Olympics we can impress upon the Olympic committee in a more violent fashion to go for a more realistic version." Well, a Unicronian can hope. NOW Fracas did not expect Scorponok here already, though there may be something to gain. Dropping the arm and horn somewhere that someone can get to them (in otherwords on the floor cause he is sick of carrying them), Fracas then walks over to near Scorponok, "So, giving Cyclonus the same treatment as Scourge huh? Hmmm, I should probably go get Scourge, he told me to let him know if... well just if stuff happened." Yes, probably not a good idea to admit to the giant battlestation that Scourge told him to look out for the giant battlestation. EARLIER As the gang of Sweeps descends into the tunnel system, Blitzwing slows his pace and allows them to at first flank either side, then overtake him. No sense in taking point when you have a dozen no-names that no one will miss to do so anyway, right? Blitzwing lifts his chin and grunts as the roar thunders through the icy passages, but he presses on regardless. If anything, he'll end up with a new fur coat to keep his joints warm while he prowls his home away from home, the Ural Mountains. CURRENTLY Blitzwing cants his head to regard Scorponok as he chuckles, noting the giant scorpion's glee at his own casual insubordination. He never woulda pegged Scorponok for that type... up until now he has always seemed loud, angry, and very controlling. The triplechanger emits an 'Eh', turns and sprawls out across a staggered array of equipment crates, taking up front row seats to the show. THEN "Mmm," Cyclonus looks over to Scourge. "By next year, Gycony will be dead, Scourge, have no doubt about that. His latest stunt has confirmed to me that he has moved from an amusing nuscience to a liability. Yes, there will be changes. Great changes." Cyclonus patiently waits for Americon to return. He does not. "Hnn. Onwards!" Cyclonus points into the tunnel, striding forwards, not stopping even as the passageway gets darker, the walls flecked with a strange webbing. From behind the Decepticons, a large, hairy shambling creature with glowing red eyes shuffles into view with a hearty roar. Then, from the front and sides, more of them loom in the shadows, claws at the ready. NOW As Fasttrack pulls Cyclonus off the table, a bit of his shoulder falls off. Bugbear scratches his head, flailing about with all his crates. "K-k-k I do not know where the other horn k-k-went, is it important?" THEN A yeti roars and runs at Cyclonus who ducks, impaling it on his right horn. NOW Alas, Fracas saying even that much tips off the savvy Lord Zarak. Not that he even had to be that savvy in the first place. "Fracas!" Zarak says, emerging from the top of the battlestation's elevator. He's in power armor at the moment. "Why don't you join me for a drink instead, Fracas? Scourge can wait. Besides, I've got more Mercusynth!..." He smiles. It's an impossible offer to refuse, surely. Scorponok's not quite the same leader type as Cyclonus. He's more used to managing a constant state of pure babbling chaos, and looking at his lackeys, it's not hard to see why. However, he doesn't clarify that for Blitz's sake. "FRACAS had it," Scorponok grunts. "It's somewhere around here, I think. It's not important--I'm going to cut open his brain in a moment here!" THEN "Hey, guys, I looked all over those caves and I didn't find anything," says Americon as he returns from one of the tunnels. Then he sees the Yeti. "OH SH--" Drawing his blasters, he fires, but in his impulsive attack, he might hit Blitzwing in the process! Woops! THEN "The Autobots will hopefully try and protect him." And no doubt get killed trying. Scourge smiles slightly at the idea. Then some yeti appear, "What... where in Unicrons beard did these creatures come from!" However where they came from is of little difference as Scourge levels Fracas at one and fires, making a nice hole in it's head so you can see right through it, and handily enough Americon can be seen through the hole too. Like a little window in the Yeti's head that shows America. NOW Mercusynth! Now Fracas recalls just how good Zarak's supply was. Hell last time it knocked him clean out. That was the alcohol that did that, he's certain it was the drink. "Well, I guess I can have a glass or two. Afterall Scourge will be here soon anyway." Fracas heads towards the elevator, absently picking the horn back up, "Hey here's the horn, had to dig it out some creature." As Fracas passes Bugbear he gives the Insecticon the horn, "Enjoy!" And then off to join Zarak for some mercusynth, "So who have you got in for Cyclonus' gun? Or you replacing his head instead?" AWHILE BACK Blitzwing rounds a corner, and takes laser fire from a bewildered Americon, the shots winking out as they dissipate along his frame. "What the-," the triplechanger starts to inquire, but just as soon as he looks up from his carbon-scored chest, he sees the chambers flooding with wooly, beady-eyed. The electron-sabre held at his side sparks to life, and he charges at one of the beasts with an equally blood-curdling roar. NOW "Splendid!" Zarak says, smiling as he waits for Fracas to join him. The elevator descends with them both on it down into Zarak's private suite. His powered armor dissipates, revealing a human-like business outfit underneath. He seems to be wearing that one a lot these days. "Oh! And as for Cyclonus's new partner, well, it'll be a new gun--and there he is now!" He points at said Nebulan, who is being served by Zarak's serving girls even now! THEN "Decepticons! Attack!" Cyclonus raises his blaster to shoot at a nearby yeti, who continues to stagger forwards for way too long before it finally drops dead. The caves echo with roars, as out of the darkness more and more yeti emerge, huge stocky beasts that lumber unstoppbably towards our heroes. "Americon! I order you to sacrifice yourself for the glory of the cause!" NOW Sitting at Zarak's table is another Nebulan in a business suit, though this one seems to not have been ironed, and probably just picked up from a heap on the floor. He gives a smile and a wave at Zarak and Fracas, taking a sip from a cup of tea and immediately spitting out the contents, smashing the cup onto the floor in front of one of the serving wenches. "Well, there is a war on, I suppose," he sighs. THEN Scourge doesn't need to be told to attack, he's already doing it. For a moment he considers grabbing Americon and using him as a club to smash the Yeti faces in. But that would be indulgence. While he files the tactic away for possible use later, he continues to blaster Yeti in the head with Fracas, his aim much better than it used to be (and it used to be rather good before). NOW Walking from the elevator, Fracas leaves his armour on, though his helmet fades to reveal the Nebulons head, "You should try the mercusynth. Just don't throw it on the ground, terrible waste." Fracas grins as he waits for the serving girls to bring him his drink. As he waits, something bugs him a little, he's sure he's meant to do something about now, something important. THEN "SIR YES SIR!" Americon cries, flinging himself into the open maw of a Yeti. Initially, the Yeti accepts this, because this is just how being a Yeti works, but when Americon lodges himself into the Yeti's windpipe, it chokes! "Urrk! Urrk!" He waves desperately at his fellow Yeti, and one of them starts performing the Heimlich maneuver on him. NOW Zarak eyes the Nebulan for a moment. He... had heard of a shady background but was expecting a bit more class than this. Ah, well, at least it's not another Aimless or Spasma, right? Regardless, a serving girl starts cleaning up the mess that the man made. "Hm, yes. Fracas, meet Nightstick. He's pledged his full devotion and loyalty to me, the true leader of Nebulos, in exchange for the power of Cyclonus," Zarak explains as he sits across from Nightstick. "Zaszka, some Mercusynth for Fracas, if you would please! Hm, and some Space Brandy for me, I think. Nightstick, what would you like?" Meanwhile, Scorponok is busily cutting opening Cyclonus's head. Eventually he gets the top half of his cranium off and uses a repair to carelessly fling it away. It may injure someone with those pointy horns. MORE RECENTLY BUT STILL PAST-TENSE Blitzwing meets a giant hairy thing in combat and with his momentum and ferocity leading the way, cleaves the thing in half with one over-bearing swipe of his sizzling sabre. The beast's halves are cauterized as they are separated from one another, leaving two smoldering hunks of dead weight falling to the snowy floor at the triplechanger's feet. "Why are we in here, again?" Blitzwing asks above the din of combat, almost to sound as seditious as he can even as much as he is fishing for a legitimate answer from his leadership. RIGHT THIS MOMENT Blitzwing absent-mindedly dodges a horned object that comes flying at him, musing that a new fur coat would have been nice. Instead, he bleeds on his canopy of crates while he watches Cyclonus become a science experiment. NOW Nightstick raises a brow at Fracas. He's recommended the mercusynth. Fine. That's what he's not having. "I think I'll join you in the Space Brandy, Lord Zarak," he smirks, waving over a serving girl. "I am honoured to be able to pledge my loyalty to you and your cause." EARLIER Nightstick sits at a desk at the top of a high-rise office on Nebulos, his feet resting on the paperwork on the desk as he plays with a crystal unicorn. "Eh, I don't know why I stole this," he grumbles, throwing in the direction of the slumped body of a corporate executive who lies dead on the ground. "Well, what do you know?" He rolls his eyes at the Insecticon Bugbear, who is crouched in the room before him. "You wait ages for a job offer, and then two come along at once. EVEN EARLIER "Scourge! Have your Sweeps terminate these creatures!" Cyclonus barks, pointing at a nearby yeti who he wants killed. The yeti takes the opportunity to tear his arm off at the socket and begin beating him with it NOW The top of Cyclonus's head is flung at Bugbeat, impaling the Insecticon. THEN Continuing to blast the Yeti, Scourge doesn't need to tell the Sweeps to fight. One is caught in the jaws of a Yeti (who has yet to spot another choking on Americon. Another two are playing the Three Stooges with one of the Yeti (at least that's how it appears). Several others are running after Yeti down one cavern, only to appear being chased out of another. NOW As he gets his mercusynth (he really needs to get Zarak to supply some for Scourge's office, he has been eyeing a corner to setup his own little spot, or as he will call it his 'bar'), Fracas comments, "You should know, Cyclonus is a hard-ass, I mean really. Scourge is bad enough, but Cyclonus makes him look tame." Oh yeah, Scourge, he should really give him a call. Alas, there's no need to call the Sweep commander, as he limps into the repair bay at just that moment. He has what used to be a stalagmite prodruding out of his chest. As Scourge leans against a table he looks up to see Cyclonus in the same prevarious position he was in not that long ago. Getting back on both feet, he proceeds to rip the former stalagmite (someone may like that word right now) from his chest, his optics burning red with rage "SCORPONOK!!!!" However what he may do next is anyones guess, as it remains unknown as part of Cyclonus' head ricochets off of Bugbeat, and slams into the side of Scourge's head, knocking him to the ground in his already weakened condition. Fracas hears Scourge scream, "Ahh... oh well no need to call him now." Fracas gets back to enjoying his drink. THEN Alas, Americon proves to be a fatal choking hazard, and the Heimlich Maneuver fails to dislodge him. The Yeti that had been choking on Americon collapses, quite dead. "Groooo!" cries the Yeti that tried to save him, its horrible flesh-rending claws raised to the air as if to ask why the universe is so cruel sometimes. NOW "The Space Brandy is a good choice," Zarak says. He beckons to a serving girl, who goes to fetch their drinks. However, unbeknownst to Nightstick, she slips a quickly dissolving pill into the drink meant for him! She returns with the drinks just as it occurs to Fracas to go call Scourge, delicately setting them down in front of them. "Oh, it won't be a problem, Fracas. Once Nightstick becomes Cyclonus's weapon, Cyclonus will be unable to dispose of him! They will be binary-bonded forever!" He frowns as his pager beeps, and he gets it out to look at it. "Hm. Scorponok tells me he's almost done with the modifications to Cyclonus. Are you ready, Nightstick?" he asks, as he drinks his un-drugged brandy. But boy would it have been awkward if she put the pill in the wrong one. THEN "Hnn!" Cyclonus grunts as he is hit with his own arm. "It is time to finish this once and for all!" he grumbles, turning to Scourge, and holding up a bomb with his other arm. "I will destroy these creatures with this fusion mine!" It is at this point that another yeti, with a raw, swallows Cyclonus's arm clutching the bomb NOW Nightstick leans back in his chair, watching the servant girl put the drug in his drink with a sigh. "Oh well, chin chin," he mutters, shaking his glass about to dissolve it. "The things I do!" Then he thunks down on the table, unconscious. THEN Bomb tossing, something Scourge never gets tired of. And so he whips out his own bomb and throws it at one of the yeti. In this case the one who failed to prevent his friend from choking on Americon. Indeed Scourge manages to aim so well the bomb goes right into the Yeti's mouth as it screams at the universe. The Yeti promptly starts choking on said bomb (well never know, it might dislodge itself soon). Scourge meanwhile uses his wings to cover himself, from the impending explosions, a tactic many of the Sweeps use. NOW Fracas downs his drink in one go. He suspects he's going to need some level of inebriation in a short time. He watches Nightstick go thunk. "Well, that guy definitely can't hold his liquor." He indicates his now empty glass to the serving girls, "I can though." Scourge meanwhile struggles to pick himself up. Again. NOW Zarak had meant for Nightstick to be oblivious to his being drugged, but oh well, this works. He smiles, delighted. "Well! Let's get him ready, Fracas!" Re-materializing his suit, he throws Nightstick over his shoulder before he stands on the elevator. Once he's risen to the top he again fights the powerful urge to slide down the ramp going 'Weeeee!' and instead walks down it, plopping Nightstick down at the repair bay next to Cyclonus's head. Scorponok's manipulator arms get to work on him, snipping out out unnecessary things like bones and organs and replacing them with sturdier cybernetics. "I'm disappointed that you wouldn't even let me stick the sedative in him, Zarak!" Scorponok grunts. "Please, Scorponok, you're barely a mechanic, let alone a surgeon. The less you have to do, the better!" Zarak says. "Oh, by the way, Scourge is trying to interfere!" Scorponok says, and Zarak looks. "Oh, my, how delightful!" Zarak sneers as he watches Scourge flop around. "We'll be with you in a moment, Scourge, we're seeing another patient!" He and Scorponok share a laugh. Back inside Scorponok, the serving girls titter at Fracas. "Is it those big muscles, Fracas?" one asks. Poor guy doesn't know that this sort of empty flattery is just what they do. THEN "Nnn," Cyclonus struggles to get his arm out of the yeti's mouth as the bomb ticks away in his hand. "Scourge!" he barks at the Sweep commander. "I order you to-" And then the yeti explodes with the force of a fusion bomb in the tight, narrow tunnel. NOW Both Cyclonus and Nightstick are out for the count, which given Scorponok is doing his surgery thing is probably for the best. THEN As one Yeti explodes, so the other clears it's throat. Okay so actually the bomb explodes and it has no throat left, but at least it did not choke to death. As the force of both explosions rip through the caves, a large number of the Yeti get vaporised. As the flames die down, two of the Sweeps stand up, a Yeti skeleton standing between them. They look at each other before slapping the skeleton in the skull, it crumbles. Scourge meanwhile stands up, looking around at the devestation, "Cyclonus?" NOW Scourge manages to grab the edge of one of the tables, "You're dead Zarak! I swear, Scorponok can operate adequately without his head." Scourge of course realises about now his main weapon is not present. Damn that Nebulon, "FRACAS!" Inside Scorponok Fracas hears his name shouted, "Oh... Erm, gotta go ladies." And Fracas makes a dash for the exit out of here, he hasn't heard that tone from the Sweep Commander, which makes him very very nervous. THEN Since the Yeti he was trapped inside got vaporized, Americon is freeeee! "I'm okay guys!" he says, bursting forth from a charred, blackened skeleton way too happily. He takes in the scene of carnage, smoke, and destruction. "...woowwwww. Man, we gotta practice better fire safety... IN AMERICA!" NOW "Too late, Scourge!" Zarak says, smirking. "Even now Scorponok is putting the final touches on Cyclonus and his new friend. But don't despair--soon he'll be JUST LIKE YOU. Isn't that comforting? And besides..." A turret on the battlestation aims at Scourge. "You're hardly in a position to oppose us, Scourge!" PREVIOUSLY ON 2K5 MUSH Blitzwing, not expecting an answer to his rhetorical question anyway, slings his blade clear of beast goo and steps over the dead yeti at his feet, only to lock himself into a second, third, fourth tussle. He struggles against the primal strength of the growing yeti pack, unable to muster any kind of defense from the detonation that he's completely oblivious to. He just remembers white, then static. NAOW Blitzwing laughs sadistically at Scourge flailing about nearby. THENHis large boulder from the ceiling falls onto the two Sweeps who were looking happy about still being alive. THEN SQUISH Well, there's plenty more Sweeps where they came from (how this is the case, nobody dares ask least they find out. NOW A smile spreads across Scourge's face, a rather cruel and sadistic smile, "Oh Zarak... that is where you are very, very mistaken. Fracas, transform, target anything important." Fracas stops before he gets to the elevator. "Frag it, there goes any mercusynth supply." However Fracas knows where his loyalties lie, Zarak may pay well and have good booze, but Scourge has been very clear where his loyalties must lie if he expects to continue living. And so the Nebulon transforms, while still inside Scorponok. Weirdwolf says, "Grax" Weirdwolf | Monzo snorts, "Only thin that matters at the moment is remindin' Galen how out of his element he is." Skullcruncher patches Grax through the Decepticon radio. "Concur." NOW Zarak frowns at Scourge for a moment. Eventually, he places two fingers to the side of his helm, and radios to Fracas, <> He sighs, staring at Scourge for a moment. "I see. Alright, then. You drive a hard bargain, Scourge, but..." "DONE," Scorponok announces suddenly, and a grabby arm snatches Cyclonus and pushes him unceremoniously off of the repair bay, sans the top half of his cranium. "...like I said," Zarak says, smirking. "*You're too late.* Scorponok, transform!" He flips backwards into Scorponok's head as the Headmaster Commander rises up into his robot mode. Stomping slowly towards Scourge, Scorponok growls, "Now, I believe you had a complaint, Sweep?..." THEN Americon looks around, whistling. "Man, what a fight. But at least everyone's okay! Right?" Scorponok rises up into his robot mode, with Zarak forming the head! THEN Cyclonus lies underneath the exploded yeti, sparking and smoking somewhat. He has had better days. NOW "Do not worry, Scourge, there is no need." Cyclonus is standing up behind Scorponok, gun in hand. He marches over to the Sweep Commander, picking up the top of his head that had previously struck him, and places it back on his head. "Thank you for the upgrade, Scorponok, that was very... generous of you." THEN Scourge spins round on hearing Americon, thinking it is another Yeti. Alas it is not, but with the condition of the cave, Scourge slips, falling just a short distance, but far enough that he gets impaled on a Stalagmite. NOW "Oh, I would hardly call it a complaint. But I suggest you don't move another step, or we'll see if your internal armour is anywhere near as thick as your external." Scourge radios Fracas <> As the Headmaster advances Scourge reaches behind him, having prepared a second bomb (which of course is totally twinky and not in anyway nice, but Scourge is in a mean mood right now). He keeps his hand near it, "Now Scorponok, you may have inflicted one of Zaraks Nebulons on Cyclonus, but if you care to live, I think you'll be surrendering the one on your shoulders, call it insurance, till Cyclonus is fully repaired and can decide what to do with you." At which point Cyclonus gets up and... seems to be quite calm. Scourge is a little confused now. THEN "OH NO!" Americon exclaims as he throws off exploded Yeti bits to get to Cyclonus. "They got the Vice President! Man down! MAN DOWN!" He cradles Cyclonus's big head in his arms. "Maaaannn dowwwn!" But, looking up, he's horrified to see Scourge get impaled by a stalagmite! "OH PRIMUS NO!" he cries. "They got the Senate Majority Leader, too! THIS IS THE WORST DAY EVER!" NOW "Oh, I'm quite aware that Fracas is transformed inside me, Scourge," Scorponok snarls. "The real question is if he can inflict a deadly blow to me before I do to YOU. And given your current condition, I'd say I've got pretty good odds--eh?" Hearing Cyclonus, Scorponok turns verrrry slowly. "You're... not upset, Cyclonus? Hm." His optics narrow. "Scourge, as you know, was QUITE displeased by his upgrade. Why do you feel differently?..." THEN A lone yeti attempts to stagger out of the carnage but trips, impaling itself on Cyclonus' other horn. NOW Cyclonus rungs a finger along his broken horn and scowls. Now, /that/ will need a proper mechanic to fix. "Any displeasure would indicate you wanted to harm me, Scorponok. We are all on the same side after all, and we all work towards the day when Lord Galvatron will rule the cosmos with an iron fist. Infighting helps no-one but the Autobots. Remember that, lest Galvatron's judgement descend upon you both!" He waves a hand to Scourge as he heads for the door. "Come, Scourge, if you are so inclined." NOW Typical, just when he thought he could get Scorponok killed for daring to force organic scum on him and Cyclonus. But, Scourge is dutiful as ever (though he does hope Galvatron comes back soon and blows a nice big hole in Scorponok). "Very well, Fracas, exit Scorponok, this is over. For now." Scourge awaits his Nebulon partner before he too leaves, intent on finding a Sweep medic cause he doesn't trust any other. NOW Scorponok is suspicious, of course, but that's all he has to go on. "Bah." His chest opens, and he reaches inside with a claw to pluck out Fracas. "Here is your little fool," he grunts, flinging Fracas at Scourge's face before he stomps out. As they return to the command center, Scorponok and Zarak internally debate as to why Cyclonus reacted so well to getting binary-bonded... NOW Right before he get's unceremoniously ejected from Scorponok (who does he think he is, Soundwave? A Bouncer?) Fracas transforms and grabs as much mercusynth as he possibly can. When Scourge catches the tossed Fracas, he seems to make the same noise a carrier back of bottles makes. A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY... A short time later, Blitzwing is roused from his stasis nap, missing most of the armor from his backside and generally in much worse condition than he had remember being in before blanking out. With a groan, he slowly stands, turning about to survey the aftermath of the explosions. "Miracle this network didn't cave in on itself," he openly remarks. "...you know, I probably shouldn't have said that..." Taking stock of the situation, Blitzwing begins to collect what pieces of Cyclonus that he can easily get to. "I guess I'm the acting ranking official now. Y'know, Secretary of Defense and all. C'mon, Americon, let's get this garbage together and head back to base..." THEN Americon squints at Blitzwing. Is he actually the Secretary of Defense? He thought that was Shockwave. Or maybe Shockwave was the--oh, whatever. "Right, Blitzwing! Mission accomplished!" He transforms into eagle mode, grabs Scourge by the head with his talons, and flaps his wings furiously as he drags him out of the cave, aggravating his injuries senselessly.